Heat exchanger



Feb. 1964 J. 5. BALLANTINE 3,120,868

HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Sept. 28, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTO i 73 ifORNEYS.

1964 J. s. BALLANTINE HEAT EXCHANGER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 28,1959 INVENTOR (fame; d3 64/Zzmfw'u/ 1964 J. 5. BALLANTINE HEAT EXCHANGER3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 28, 1959 F am lNV TOR Jkmes a? gaizmrmeUnited States Patent 3,12%,868 HEAT EXCHANGER James S. Bailantine, 121North Shore Road, Ahseeon, Nd. Filed Sept. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 843,099 1Claim. (Cl. 165-155) The present invention relates to heat exchangers.

A purpose of the invention is to produce a heat exchanger which can bemore readily cleaned on both sides of the heat exchanger surfaces.

A further purpose is to produce a more compact heat exchanger.

A further purpose is to produce a heat exchanger which will be moreeffective when one set of heat transfer pas sages is exposed to seawater.

A further purpose is to construct a heat exchanger from spaced buckets,one surrounding another and sealed at the ends suitably by rings whichare clamped together and capable of ready disassembly.

A further purpose is to promote heat transfer by during the side wallsof the buckets longitudinally.

A further purpose is to provide an annular nonfiuted area in the sidewall of the buckets at the end of a line of flutes and preferablybetween lines of flutes to reduce the compliance of the side wall of thebucket under pres sure.

A further purpose is to extend the flutes on the buckets toward oneanother.

A further purpose is to flange the ends of the buckets and to clamp thembetween sealing rings.

A further purpose is to provide batlles extending longitudinally betweenthe buckets and preferably through the flutes to prevent shortcircuiting of fluid.

A further purpose is to obtain a larger prime heat transfer surface in aheat exchanger for a given bulk.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claim.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate one only of the numerousembodiments in which the invention may appear, selecting the form shownfrom the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactoryoperation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the heat exchanger of the invention.

l IGURE 2 is a fragmentary axial section on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an axial section on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURES 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 respectively are transverse sections on thelines 4-4, 55, 66, 7-7, 88 and 9-9 of FEGURE 2.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary section on the line Iii-1t? of FEGURE 1.

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary section on the line 11-11 of FIGURE 8.

escribing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to thedrawings:

In the prior art, heat exchangers such as condensers, engine radiatorsand the like are frequently constructed from tubes extending throughtube sheets, one fluid passing through the tubes and another fluidpassing around the tubes.

There are some applications in which one or both of the fluids has sucha great tendency to contaminate or deposit foreign matter on the heattransfer surfaces that operation is often rendered ineifective.

An example of the problem is a heat exchanger for motor boats,especially those which operate in inland waterways and in which mud,seaweed and other foreign matter is very likely to deposit on the sideof the heat exchanger through which sea water fiows. While the iniceside of a tube and tube sheet type of heat exchanger can readily becleaned, the cleaning of the outside of the tubes is very diflicult, andpermanent loss of heat transfer elliciency is likely to occur, sinceoutsides of the tubes in a nest of tubes are relatively inaccessible.Usually in the design of heat exchangers of the tube and tube sheet typefor this character of service, a great excess in heat transfer capacityis provided to meet this problem, but even so, the results are oftenvery inadequate.

The present invention otters the advantage of providing heat transfersurfaces which can be readily disassembled and both sides of which arereadily accessible for cleaning, using standard cleaning techniques suchas brushing, scraping, scrubbing and the like.

The invention makes it possible to provide greatly increased heattransfer surfaces by fluting the walls, which are of increasedeffectiveness not only because of the large prime heat transfer surface,but also because of the promotion of turbulent flow.

It is possible in accordance with the invention to make a very compactstructure which is most effective from a heat transfer standpoint.

One of the great advantages of the invention is that minute inspectionof parts can be made when the structure is disassembled and replacementof defective parts can be readily accomplished. There is no necessity tocut out defective parts like defective heat transfer tubes, but insteadparts can be exchanged bodily to insert replacement parts. The number ofdifferent sizes of parts required is in any case small.

The invention lends itself to production or". heat transfe surfaces froma wide variety of materials, including stainless steel, and nonferrousmetals like admirably metal, naval brass, bronze, Monel, zirconium andtitanium. The manufacture of the component parts is relativelyinexpensive.

While the example of a heat exchanger for a motor boat has been given,it will be understood that heat exchangers for air conditioning, forchemical process work, for heat transfer between gases, forrefrigeration, and other suitable purposes may be produced in accordancewith the invention.

Considering now the structure in detail, the heat exchanger of theinvention has a suitably circular head 2t) which is provided with apiping connection 21 near the center, piping connections 22?. and 23near opposite edges and a bridging passage 24- between a connection 25through the bottom of the head and a connection 26 through the bottom ofthe head.

The head has a series of openings 27 distributed around its rim whichreceive tightening bolts 28 as later explained.

A stack of rings 36, 31, 32 and 33 are lined up concentric with the headin sequence, provided with bolt holes through which the bolts 2% pass,so as to pull up and clamp together the stack as later explained. Thering 39 at one side has a passage 34 in line with connec tion 22 andsealed to the head 2% by a gasket 35 extending annularly between thehead it} and the ring 3t} and provided with a suitable opening. The ring3d also has, in line with the connection 23, a passage 36 which extendsgenerally inwardly and in the direction parallel to the axis and issealed by the gasket 35 and has a hole in line with the opening in theconnection 23. The ring 3d also has a passage 37 extending parallel tothe axis and sealed by the gasket 35 which has an appropriate opening inline with the passage 26 and the passage 37.

The ring 3% likewise has a bottom connection 3 3 which connects with aradial passage 4t? and an inner and bottom connection 51. The ring 30has a central opening 3b which receives a bucket as later described.

The ring 31 as best seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 5 has a passage 42 parallelwith the axis which seals and connects to the passage 38 in the ring 39by a suitable opening in a gasket 43 between the ring 3% and the ringEll.

The ring 31 also has a passage 44 which extends in wardly and in thedirection parallel to the axis and which communicates at one end withthe passage 37 and is sealed by a suitable opening through the gasket 43between the rings 3i} and 31.

The ring 31 also has a suitable passage 45' which extends inwardly andparallel to the axis and communicates at one end with the passage 34 andis sealed by a suitable opening in the gasket .3 between the rings 3%and 31. The ring 301 has a central opening 31 larger than opening 39which receives a bucket as later explained.

The ring 32 best seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 6, is pro vided with a passage45 extending inwardly and parallel to the axis and which connects at oneend to passage -2 and is sealed to the passage 42 by a gasket 47 betweenthe ring 311 and the ring 32 and having a suitable opening. The ring 32has a central opening 32 larger than the opening 31' which receives abucket as later explained.

The ring 33 does not require any passages, but has a central opening 36larger than the opening 32 which receives a bucket as later explained.

The heat transfer surfaces are provided with a series or" buckets &3,Sit, 51 and 52, each of which has a bottom 53, generally tubular sidewalls 54 and flanges 55 at the open end of the bucket. The side wallsfit through openings 3d, 31 and 32' and 33' of rings 3%, 31, 32 and 33respectively.

The flanges 55 have recess gaskets ss surrounding the flanges and thegaskets and flanges are clamped between the head and the next ring orbetween the rings for sealing purposes as shown. The gaskets maysuitably be of rubber, neoprene, or the like.

Each of the buckets at its side walls has an upper set of longitudinalflutes 57 and at its lower end has a separate set of longitudinal flutes58 which are circumferentially aligned with the first set. The flutesare formed integral from the buckets and in horizontal sectional areserpentine.

In between the sets of flutes 57 and there is on each bucket a nonflutedannular portion ss which provides a stilfening rib and prevents thebucket side wall from exhibiting Bourdon tube efiect and also fromexhibiting bellows effect, which otherwise would make the side walls ofthe tube respond to pressure difiierential to a flex inwardly andoutwardly.

While the drawings show only one nonfluted ring as on each bucket, itwill be evident that the number of nonfluted rings provided will varywith the lengths of the buckets and the pressure differentials.

The flutes S7 and 58 on the adjoining buckets extends toward one another180 degrees out of phase, so that the passages formed between adjoiningbuckets in the flutes have relatively little lateral communication spacewher the flutes exist, thus tending to make and maintain separatelongitudinal flow passages with a limited cross connection. The questionof whether the flutes actually touch adjoining buckets or merely comeclose together will depend upon whether or not the installation involvesthe problem of vibration, which may make actual engage ment of flutesundesirable.

in order that the flutes of each successive bucket may conveniently be188 degrees out of phase it will be evident that the flutes will besteeper in the inner bucket and less steep in the outer bucket in thepreferred embodiment.

The head of the heat exchanger has a boss 61 extending across theportion in line with the inner bucket which has a slot 62 which receivesa baflle as which is best seen in FZGURES 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, whichsuitably engages in flute recesses and separates the inner bucket intosides and 6S, cross connecting at the bottom by a passage 66.

Between the buckets 43 and 5 at diametrally spaced points arelongitudinally extending baffies 67 engaged in recesses in the flutes,tending to separate the space between buckets :8 and 5d longitudinallyinto spaces 63 and '79 between the side flutes, cross connected by thespace 71 at the bottom.

At diametrally spaced points between the buckets 5d and 51 are placedlongitudinally extending baifles 72 de-' sirably extending through theflutes, dividing the space heween the buckets 5t) and 51 into a seriesof longitudinal passages 73 at one side and a series of longitudinalpassages 74 at the other side, cross connected by a passage 75 betweenthe bottoms of the buckets.

Between the outer buckets 51 and 52 at diametrally spaced points thereare baffles 76 at the sides, best seen in FIGURES 8 and 9, whichseparate the space between the buckets 51 and 52 into longitudinalpassages 77 at one side and longitudinal passages 78 at the other side,cross connected by a passage 39 between the bottoms of the buckets Eland 52.

The outer bucket 52 is provided with a pipe connection 81 at the sidenear the top, best seen in FIGURES 8 and 11.

In operation, the device of the invention is assembled as shown in thedrawings, tightening the bolts 28 to seal the buckets to the head andthe rings.

Considering first one of the fluids which flows through the heatexchanger and which for the purpose of convenience in illustration inthe case of the motor boat heat exchanger, may be fresh water, thisfluid enters through inlet 2 3i in the head 26, and flows throughpassage 64 in bucket 48 on one side of baffle 63 and then across throughpassage 66 to the other side of bucket 48 and thence through passage upthe other side of bucket 48, and then through cross connecting passagw25, 24 and 2 6 and passage 37 of ring 3d and passage 44 of ring 31, asbest seen in FIGURE 2, into the space 74 between the flutes of buckets5i) and 51 and then through cross connection '75 between the bottoms ofthese buckets and then through passages 73 on the opposite sides ofthese buckets and finally out passages 45 and 34 and pipe connection 22in the head it The other fluid, which in the specific example of themotor boat heat exchanger may be sea water, enters through inlet pipeconnection 81 in outer bucket 52 and thence flows through longitudinalpassages 78 between outer bucket 52 and the next bucket 51 and thenthrough cross connection 89 at the bottom and next through longitudinalpassages 77 between outer bucket 52 and the next bucket 51. The saltwater then passes through passages 4-6, 42, 38, 4d and 41 in rings 32,3E, and 30 respectivcly, best seen in FIGURE 2, and then travels throughlongitudinal passage 68 between the flutes of buckets 4S and 59, thenthrough cross connection 71 at the bottom between these buckets, andthen through longitudinal passages between the same buckets. The saltwater then discharges through passage 36 in ring 30 and fitting 23 inthe head.

It will thus be seen that in the flow through the heat exchanger theflutes as well as the baffles tend to direct the fluid longitudinallyalong the side walls of the buckets.

It will be evident that disassembly of the construction just describedfor cleaning or replacement or" components can be accomplished readilyby releasing the bolts 28 ahd pulling apart the buckets and ringslongitudinally, the bafiles also sliding out longitudinally. The devicecan be reassembled by the reverse process.

In view of my invention and disclosure variations and modifications tomeet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident toothers skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of myinvention without copying the structure shown, and I therefore, claimall such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope ofmy claim.

new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a heat exchanger,

a plurality of buckets, including an inner and outer bucket, ofprogressively different diameters,

each of said buckets having, a bottom, an open end, a tubular sidewall,and a flange extending radially outward from the sidewall at the openend,

said buckets arranged one within another whereby spaces are formedbetween the sides and bottoms of the buckets and Within the innerbucket,

said sidewall having longitudinally extending flutes formed integraltherein whereby said tubular wall in transverse section through saidflutes is serpentine,

said sidewalls having an annular non-fluted area between lines of flutesto reduce the compliance of the said walls under pressure,

a bafile extending longitudinally inside the inner bucket whereby flowin the inner bucket is directed longitudinally back and forth in thebucket, bafiles extending longitudinally between the sidewalls of thebuckets whereby flow in the spaces between the sidewalls is directedlongitudinally back and forth,

a plurality of stacked rings sealing between one bucket and another atthe open end and adapted to clamp said flanges on the buckets wherebythe buckets are held in spaced relationship,

a head closure at the open end of the buckets,

a first inlet and outlet for a first circulating fluid connected to oneof the spaces,

a second inlet and outlet for a second circulating fluid connected tothe other of the spaces,

and passage means in the head closure and in the rings for conductingthe fluids between the spaces between the buckets and in the innerbucket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS261,491 Sterne et al. July 18, 1882 705,614 Rogers July 29, 19021,005,442 Lovekin Oct. 10, 1911 1,307,728 Davis June 24, 1919 2,428,066Ellis Sept. 30, 1947 2,521,369 Holm et al Sept. 5, 1950 2,576,309Ruemelin Nov. 27, 1951 2,861,781 Cohen w NOV. 25, 1958

